MOGADISHU, Somalia —Somalia’s immigration agency says it is investigating reports that a senior Yemeni separatist leader entered the country without official authorization this week.
Authorities say the inquiry focuses on possible violations of immigration law, airport procedures and national airspace rules during the alleged transit operations.
The Saudi-led coalition said Aidarous al-Zubaidi fled southern Yemen late Wednesday, traveling through Somaliland before arriving in the United Arab Emirates overnight.
Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said al-Zubaidi left Aden by ship after midnight, disabling the vessel’s tracking system to avoid detection at sea.
The group reportedly reached Somaliland’s Berbera port around midday, where al-Zubaidi contacted a UAE officer and boarded a military aircraft thereafter quickly.
The aircraft later landed in Mogadishu before flying toward the Gulf, with its transponder switched off over the Gulf of Oman briefly.
Somalia warned any confirmed unauthorized use of its airspace would constitute a serious breach of sovereignty and immigration regulations under national law.
The government reiterated support for Saudi-led talks on Yemen, saying attempts to evade dialogue risk undermining regional diplomatic efforts and stability initiatives.
Somalia said it remains committed to international norms and rule of law, with further action pending investigation results by relevant authorities nationwide.